Retinitis Pigmentosa

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, how much money is spent
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annually on research into the causes and treatment of retinitis pigmentosa; and whether there are any plans to extend the research into this disease.

The Medical Research Council is the main publicly funded agency for the support of biomedical research in England and Wales, though universities may have their own programmes using funds allocated for teaching and research through the University Grants Committee. In the latest year for which actual expenditure figures are available, 1981–82, the MRC spent some £96,000 on projects relevant to retinitis pigmentosa. I understand that the council is always happy to consider applications for support from scientists with soundly based proposals for research in this field.